Association for Middle Level Education

Browse by Topic:Young Adolescent Development

Four ways educators can lean into discomfort

To get from Reno to Lake Tahoe School in Incline
Village, Nevada, a school official had to drive me up
6,500 feet of steep, narrow roads lined with snow
banks. The air thinned as we ascended above the
clouds, so...

Enriching the curriculum and boosting middle school student engagement with the arts

We don’t need statistics to know that a curriculum lacking in arts is boring, but too often when budgets are cut, the fun parts of being in school for children are the first to be eliminated. The notion that...

Focusing on opportunities for students and staff to shape a positive school environment

Oftentimes the terms culture and climate are bandied about as an inseparable pair in school settings. Rarely in my experience are they broken down into their respective domains to parse out their specific purpose and...

Using art to boost student motivation and build community

Dopamine is known as the "feel good" neurotransmitter, and we crave it because it lets us know that predicted rewards are coming. That first sip of coffee that signals caffeine will improve your mood and energy level,...

Using young adult literature to explore adolescent identity

Everybody has a story. These stories comprise the events in our lives that intersect in complicated and uniquely beautiful ways to shape our perceptions and general outlook of the world. They demonstrate our strengths...

Why it's not worth getting into a struggle with students

It was the summer of 1998. I lived in a two room apartment with my now husband. The shower was in the kitchen. We drove clunker cars, scrounged change for take-out, and let me tell you, we were living our best life....

A variety of voices in literature helps students recognize themselves in text and connect with others

I will start with an understatement: Now seems as apt a time as any to begin conversations about multiculturalism and marginalized populations in the classroom. A stance of cultural respect opens opportunities for...

Changing student motivation from being disruptive to being successful

Working with students who typically haven't been very successful in the classroom can be a challenge. Luckily, there are a few simple approaches to take that will help you motivate those reluctant learners from day...